Sweeden's Annika Sorenstam, looking for her third triumph of the season, fired a one-under-par 71 on Saturday for a one-stroke lead at the $500,000 Longs Challenge in Lincoln, California.

Juli Inkster, who led at the start of the third round, stumbled to a 73 to stand second.

Australia's Jan Stephenson, mired in a winless drought of nearly 10 years, is tied with Spain's Alicia Dibos another stroke back. Donna Andrews and Pamela Kometani are another stroke back.

Sorenstam, who leads the 1997 money list with $326,551, struggled on the front nine, two-pulling for bogeys on the seventh and ninth holes.

But she surged on the back nine with a 30-foot birdie on the 10th hole, a seven-footer at the 11th and a chip to three feet to set up a birdie on the 12th.

Sorenstam had bogeys on the next two holes but tapped in a birdie on the 16th and sank a 12-foot birdie on the 18th.

"My score was like the stock market - up and down," she said. "This course is really tricky. It takes a lot of time. I felt like it was my charge after three birdies in a row. Luckily, I got it back at the end."

Inkster is trying to end a winless drought of almost five years. She has 15 victories, but none since the 1992 Big Apples Classic.

Stephenson (45), has not won an LPGA event since the 1987 San Jose Classic. She captured the 1990 Skins Game, an unofficial event.

"It's so much more competitive," Stephenson said of the LPGA compared to her heyday. "We have more depth than the seniors. There are so many great players. It's more of a business. The girls are a lot tougher."

Stephenson has been battling arthritis during her comeback attempt.

"My hand has been a struggle. I've been a great ball-striker," she said. "Every time I've been in contention, a few times when it's cold, my hand hurts. I lose my patience and feel it in my finger."

Asked what a victory would mean, Stephenson said, "One of the most important wins in my career. It's been a long time."

Stephenson birdied the second hole before 10 straight pars. She sank a 24-foot birdie pull at 13 and moved to 3-under after a nine-footer at 16. But she gave the stroke back at the next hole.

"This course is really trying my patience," Stephenson said. "I have such a temper and no patience. This course wears on you. I am so exhausted. It's somewhat like a major with the difficulty. I would've won more if I was even-keel, liked Annika."